Release Notes 4/21/09

For this month's release, many behind-the-scenes tweaks have been made which we hope will improve site performance.

The big project, Pocket Queries, is only half-finished or thereabouts so it didn't make it in this release. For this reason it's perhaps a bit lighter than in the past but we did manage to swat a few pesky bugs.

9103: need link to KB from Resources
Added link to Groundspeak support Knowledgebase on Resources page

9000: Change "devices" to "reviews" on gadget page
In GPS reviews changed text from "Devices 1 of 341" to "Review 1 of 341"

9269: Pocket Queries: Term change 'delete' instead of 'archive'
Changed the term "archive" to "delete" for clarity on pocket query generator page

*This may come as a surprise to some users, so I'd like to offer an explanation. There are a couple reasons for the removal of the network KML. The network KML was implemented before we had a proper online mapping tool for Geocaching.com. Some of the more tenured cachers may recall the old GeoMicro maps that would reload the page every time you panned or zoomed (and how tedious that was). However, the subsequent introduction of full-featured Geocaching.com Google Maps has made the KML link somewhat redundant.

The other reason is that only about 200 users regularly accessed the Google Earth KML, and the performance hit to the site was grossly out of proportion with the return. In other words, it was making the site run quite slowly.

Groundspeak hesitates to inconvenience even a small number of geocachers. However, it is sometimes necessary for us to identify areas of performance loss as the site grows in order to keep the site responsive and available at all times, even if it means sacrificing a feature that some found useful. Obviously we would rather introduce new features than take them away, so we hope you can understand the uncomfortable situation this places us in.

Please keep in mind, however, that you can still use Google Earth to import .GPX files from Pocket Queries. In fact, the accuracy will be much better since the network KML has always randomized locations to some extent anyway. We'll continue to explore better ways to map geocaches that serve the needs of the majority of the caching community without jeopardizing the website's stability.

Post here with any problems. If you can tell the difference between old bugs and new ones introduced in this release please only post the latter. We'll get to the known bugs in a future release. Thanks!

Although I did use the Google Earth KML quite a bit, it really wasn't ever accurate. As soon as you panned around a bit, the markers would appear in completely different places and were never consistent.

I don't see any mention of the recent notification issues that the site has been experiencing. This is anything from owner notifications to watchlist notifications to new cache notifications. Was any work done to fix this?

I'm sorry your pet bug didn't make it into this release, but please heed my request in the OP to not comment on issues unrelated to the current update. Thank you.

Quote

Post here with any problems. If you can tell the difference between old bugs and new ones introduced in this release please only post the latter. We'll get to the known bugs in a future release. Thanks!

Although I did use the Google Earth KML quite a bit, it really wasn't ever accurate. As soon as you panned around a bit, the markers would appear in completely different places and were never consistent.

I don't see any mention of the recent notification issues that the site has been experiencing. This is anything from owner notifications to watchlist notifications to new cache notifications. Was any work done to fix this?

Again, thanks for your hard work guys.

I understand there were some hiccups recently with certain owner emails not received, but checking into our email server recently confirmed that everything is working as intended. If you have some examples we can track down of missing email that would be helpful, but again, that's for a different thread.

I have to say that I am surprised only 200 people used the google earth plugin routinely. I guess I didn't use it every day but it was definately quick and easy to use. It will be missed, but I will try and use the built-in maps more now. As you said, they are a lot better.

One suggestion for the maps page. Is there any way you can make the scrollwheel zoom in/out when the mouse is over the map? It makes it a lot easier to move and and zoom in/out on the map. It works on maps.google.com.

On another random note, I have a request for pocket queries. I know that you're not going to change the limit on them and I respect that but here's a thought. When I go on vacation or travel for work, I tend to not really have an idea of where I'm going to go. For example, we went down to the Tampa area for spring break. A couple years ago we went there and 2 queries sufficed to cover a majority of the areas that we would be going over vacation. I was very surprised to see the number of caches that have been added in the last couple of areas. To cover the tampa/st. pete area took me about 8 queries to get setup. The problem I have is that I tend to have bad or no internet connectivity so I like to have my PQs in GSAK and on my PDA. Makes life easy to go "hey, I'm near a cache" and have the info and be able to get it.

So, here's my suggestion. Setup pre-generated PQs that can be subscribed to. Perhaps by county or zip code or something like that. It shouldn't be too much of a load to generate them daily or weekly and then you'd be able to let them download on-demand from the website and also queue them up to be emailed out. If you had that, I'd probably never setup my own pocket query again and just use that.

I know that even in my home area (indianapolis) there's a ridiculous number of caches around and it takes a lot of queries to keep me covered for all the places I go routinely.

Klaus, I've tested this on IE, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera (all under Windows) and not one looks like that. All in my tests look correct. Are you by chance on a Mac or using some other configuration?

*This may come as a surprise to some users, so I'd like to offer an explanation. There are a couple reasons for the removal of the network KML. The network KML was implemented before we had a proper online mapping tool for Geocaching.com. Some of the more tenured cachers may recall the old GeoMicro maps that would reload the page every time you panned or zoomed (and how tedious that was). However, the subsequent introduction of full-featured Geocaching.com Google Maps has made the KML link somewhat redundant.

The other reason is that only about 200 users regularly accessed the Google Earth KML, and the performance hit to the site was grossly out of proportion with the return. In other words, it was making the site run quite slowly.

Groundspeak hesitates to inconvenience even a small number of geocachers. However, it is sometimes necessary for us to identify areas of performance loss as the site grows in order to keep the site responsive and available at all times, even if it means sacrificing a feature that some found useful. Obviously we would rather introduce new features than take them away, so we hope you can understand the uncomfortable situation this places us in.

Please keep in mind, however, that you can still use Google Earth to import .GPX files from Pocket Queries. In fact, the accuracy will be much better since the network KML has always randomized locations to some extent anyway. We'll continue to explore better ways to map geocaches that serve the needs of the majority of the caching community without jeopardizing the website's stability.

Post here with any problems. If you can tell the difference between old bugs and new ones introduced in this release please only post the latter. We'll get to the known bugs in a future release. Thanks!

Itīs a very bad surprise.
Your google Maps doesīnt work with over 500 caches.
In my city are round about 800 Caches.
I found 700 of it and switch "show founds" off.
But itīs not possible to show the rest of 100 Caches on together because google maps says "Too much ..."

If only 200 people use the KML to it could not influence the performance ....

I have to say that I am surprised only 200 people used the google earth plugin routinely. I guess I didn't use it every day but it was definately quick and easy to use. It will be missed, but I will try and use the built-in maps more now. As you said, they are a lot better.

One suggestion for the maps page. Is there any way you can make the scrollwheel zoom in/out when the mouse is over the map? It makes it a lot easier to move and and zoom in/out on the map. It works on maps.google.com.

I like this suggestion, but I'm pretty sure it's a technical limitation. I'll check on that to make sure.

misplacedmichiganders, on Apr 21 2009, 02:19 PM, said:

On another random note, I have a request for pocket queries. I know that you're not going to change the limit on them and I respect that but here's a thought. When I go on vacation or travel for work, I tend to not really have an idea of where I'm going to go. For example, we went down to the Tampa area for spring break. A couple years ago we went there and 2 queries sufficed to cover a majority of the areas that we would be going over vacation. I was very surprised to see the number of caches that have been added in the last couple of areas. To cover the tampa/st. pete area took me about 8 queries to get setup. The problem I have is that I tend to have bad or no internet connectivity so I like to have my PQs in GSAK and on my PDA. Makes life easy to go "hey, I'm near a cache" and have the info and be able to get it.

So, here's my suggestion. Setup pre-generated PQs that can be subscribed to. Perhaps by county or zip code or something like that. It shouldn't be too much of a load to generate them daily or weekly and then you'd be able to let them download on-demand from the website and also queue them up to be emailed out. If you had that, I'd probably never setup my own pocket query again and just use that.

I know that even in my home area (indianapolis) there's a ridiculous number of caches around and it takes a lot of queries to keep me covered for all the places I go routinely.

I can appreciate the problem you're having, but (and I don't mean to be rude) there is a lot wrong with this idea. How do you define a country/region in a global game? What about all the filters people use in their queries? Would they be happy with a generic PQ that includes everything (including caches they have found)? Maybe this is an idea you can refine with the help of others in another thread.

You did score one with download on-demand. This is a goal of ours, but still on an individual basis.

I'm sorry your pet bug didn't make it into this release, but please heed my request in the OP to not comment on issues unrelated to the current update. Thank you.

Quote

Post here with any problems. If you can tell the difference between old bugs and new ones introduced in this release please only post the latter. We'll get to the known bugs in a future release. Thanks!

My bad! I should have read the whole post before opening my mouth for foot insertion.

I'm sorry your pet bug didn't make it into this release, but please heed my request in the OP to not comment on issues unrelated to the current update. Thank you.

Quote

Post here with any problems. If you can tell the difference between old bugs and new ones introduced in this release please only post the latter. We'll get to the known bugs in a future release. Thanks!

My bad! I should have read the whole post before opening my mouth for foot insertion.

It's ok. These release threads are long enough without unrelated posts, though. As you can see by the post before this one it's just too much to resist.

Glad to see that the TB mileage issue is repaired. That was making it interesting when I would go through and update the stats for my Great TB Race.

I wish I had thought to say something before now, but I was wondering about an update to the Geocaching Maps page that would move the red bar that says "Adjust your zoom level to view caches" to another spot. I know at least on Firefox that it covers up a good portion of the buttons for Map, Satellite, & Terrain whenever this message is visible. It results in only a very thin section of those buttons that is actually able to be clicked on. I'll go make a post about it on the "needs to be updated" section of the forums if there isn't already a post about it.

Great work with the updates. Now you just need to fix the bug that prevents everyone's membership fees from going into my own banking account and you'll have the perfect update to the site.

Klaus, I've tested this on IE, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera (all under Windows) and not one looks like that. All in my tests look correct. Are you by chance on a Mac or using some other configuration?

I don't have a Mac, but i tested several configurations under Windows and Linux:

Sad to see it go. I'm surprised that it was that much more resource-intensive than the Google Maps interface.
One thing I liked about the KML option is that I could add multiple data sets to Google Earth -- e.g. caches, bus routes, park maps. Pocket Queries help, but for getting an idea of an area it was nice. Also, I may be wrong, but I think the KML link was available to "basic" members.

It looks to me as though Groundspeak is relying on the dangerous assumption that 6*(0.4em + checkbox width + 16px) = 235px.
I took a short clip of ctrl-scrolling in Camino (Gecko-based).
I think white-space: nowrap is what you want.

The removal of the Google Earth KML link is a nasty surprise. I can't imagine that only 200 people used this regularly. Google Maps doesn't work properly for me, there are always problems with "zooming to address" (and it didn't matter if I used IE or Firefox).

The big project, Pocket Queries, is only half-finished or thereabouts so it didn't make it in this release. For this reason it's perhaps a bit lighter than in the past but we did manage to swat a few pesky bugs.

What's up with this project? Bigger/more often PQs? Inquiring minds want to know...

Klaus, I've tested this on IE, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera (all under Windows) and not one looks like that. All in my tests look correct. Are you by chance on a Mac or using some other configuration?

It's a font size thing, Moun10Bike. Bang on alt-plus a few times and you'll find that most of the browsers will sometimes split the line between the check and the icon, leading to wackiness on the next line. I remember looking at this once and t hinking that if th checkbox-container class had CSS that marked those divs "white-space: nowrap;" that it'd probably be cured.

I'm gonna miss the Google Earth KML. I guess I was one of the 200. I used that constantly. I'm gonna need to learn some new trick.

Please explain to me this Google and Earth and KML reference. I must be an old dog since I do not seem to know what this trick was. I must not be one of the 200.

Until today there was a link on the My Account, now My Profile, Page that could be opened in Google Earth. it showed caches as icons on Google Earth. The icons could be clicked on to take you to the cache page for the cache it represented. I found it useful in locating places for new cache hides and to target areas I wanted to visit.

I was used to working with that system. I guess I'll have to do it with the other mapping options.

I'm gonna miss the Google Earth KML. I guess I was one of the 200. I used that constantly. I'm gonna need to learn some new trick.

Please explain to me this Google and Earth and KML reference. I must be an old dog since I do not seem to know what this trick was. I must not be one of the 200.

Until today there was a link on the My Account, now My Profile, Page that could be opened in Google Earth. it showed caches as icons on Google Earth. The icons could be clicked on to take you to the cache page for the cache it represented. I found it useful in locating places for new cache hides and to target areas I wanted to visit.

I was used to working with that system. I guess I'll have to do it with the other mapping options.

Aha. I have done this using the "view map" option on the cache page since that became available. Perhaps this is similar. I use the view map option to quickly search areas and pan to other areas. Sounds similar, no?

I'm gonna miss the Google Earth KML. I guess I was one of the 200. I used that constantly. I'm gonna need to learn some new trick.

Please explain to me this Google and Earth and KML reference. I must be an old dog since I do not seem to know what this trick was. I must not be one of the 200.

Until today there was a link on the My Account, now My Profile, Page that could be opened in Google Earth. it showed caches as icons on Google Earth. The icons could be clicked on to take you to the cache page for the cache it represented. I found it useful in locating places for new cache hides and to target areas I wanted to visit.

I was used to working with that system. I guess I'll have to do it with the other mapping options.

Aha. I have done this using the "view map" option on the cache page since that became available. Perhaps this is similar. I use the view map option to quickly search areas and pan to other areas. Sounds similar, no?

Can't get the broad view that was available the other way. If you back the view out on the maps you end up with an exceeded 500 caches message. In Google Earth it would show fewer caches but maintain relative densities. Cities showed more caches that rural areas. A good overview that you could then zoom into.

The updating may not be instantaneous. How long did you wait before checking the mileage?

Going off past experience, whenever I logged the drop, the updated mileage was displayed as soon as the page loaded. Since I didn't see that, I assumed the mileage still wasn't updating and manually recalculated right away. When I dip my coin tomorrow, I'll wait and see if it does update after a time.

Glad to hear the mileage bug is fixed - but we still have an issue with this bug - the last hop has been added twice, so the total mileage is 3789 miles higher than it should be. I tried recalculating again about an hour ago, but it's still wrong. It's on my watchlist, and I haven't been notified of any deleted logs that may account for the additional mileage. I did post this in the TB mileage thread before I realised there had been a release yesterday. Thanks

Itīs a very bad surprise.
Your google Maps doesīnt work with over 500 caches.
In my city are round about 800 Caches.
I found 700 of it and switch "show founds" off.
But itīs not possible to show the rest of 100 Caches on together because google maps says "Too much ..."

If only 200 people use the KML to it could not influence the performance ....

Very, very bad news ;-(
Biggi

I'm not happy too although I used the KML not too often.

Two issues using the maps on GC.com:

*) The drawing speed is very slow compared to the GE-Interface.
*) Viewing a very sparsely populated area. At a certain zoomlevel no caches are shown even when the number of caches displayed would be small.

Please keep in mind, however, that you can still use Google Earth to import .GPX files from Pocket Queries. In fact, the accuracy will be much better since the network KML has always randomized locations to some extent anyway. We'll continue to explore better ways to map geocaches that serve the needs of the majority of the caching community without jeopardizing the website's stability.

Please keep in mind, however, that you can still use Google Earth to import .GPX files from Pocket Queries. In fact, the accuracy will be much better since the network KML has always randomized locations to some extent anyway. We'll continue to explore better ways to map geocaches that serve the needs of the majority of the caching community without jeopardizing the website's stability.

Didn't miss that. How does it address the broad view 500 cache limit issue? Are we supposed to use our PQs to get around that? It doesn't get more than 500 caches either, and wastes a PQ. Using the Google Earth KML gave us that broad view. I wasn't looking for pinpoint accuracy, just a decent overview.

I can understand that it was a feature that only a relative few used. I can understand that the object is to improve site performance. It doesn't mean I have to be happy about it.

So, what feature is going away next? Is it going to be one you use and enjoy?

It's a font size thing, Moun10Bike. Bang on alt-plus a few times and you'll find that most of the browsers will sometimes split the line between the check and the icon, leading to wackiness on the next line. I remember looking at this once and t hinking that if th checkbox-container class had CSS that marked those divs "white-space: nowrap;" that it'd probably be cured.

Really dissapointed with the discontinuation of the Google Earth KML overlay - I used it to identify caches when I go on holiday - Will be in the New Forest area and used it to find caches around where we will be staying - how do I use the built in maps to do that when you don't know of any caches in the area in the first place? Then will be in Washington DC and have the same problem??

I'm gonna miss the Google Earth KML. I guess I was one of the 200. I used that constantly. I'm gonna need to learn some new trick.

Me too. The new trick is for Groundspeak to get better dedicated servers to run this place on.

It has never been a hardware issue. Unfortunately there are problems that can't be solved by throwing money at them.

Huh? A server is more than hardware - it is also software. Perhaps the Microsoft model is not one that works well for such a busy place. Would not this place have been better served using Linux & PHP right from the start?

Really dissapointed with the discontinuation of the Google Earth KML overlay - I used it to identify caches when I go on holiday - Will be in the New Forest area and used it to find caches around where we will be staying - how do I use the built in maps to do that when you don't know of any caches in the area in the first place? Then will be in Washington DC and have the same problem??

Yes, that is what I find disappointing about the removal. It was a valuable tool for that purpose.

Would this work Nate:
Mirror the DB with the caches and stick it on another box and use this to make the calls to for the KML.